NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has shared an update about the long-running NEOWISE mission, the orbiting telescope born from the WISE project. Launched more than a decade ago, NEOWISE was designed to scan the cosmos in infrared light, hunting for distant stars, galaxies, and the subtle signs of comets and asteroids that pass through near-Earth space. The agency’s notice explains that the spacecraft is gradually losing altitude and sinking toward Earth’s upper atmosphere, a process that will eventually conclude with re-entry and destruction. This trajectory marks the end of an era for a mission that transformed infrared astronomy and planetary defense in meaningful ways. source: JPL announcement.
The WISE instrument, short for Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer, entered orbit in 2009 with a mission to map the universe in infrared wavelengths. Early in its life, the spacecraft faced a coolant issue that forced NASA to deactivate two of its four detectors to preserve remaining coolant and extend the mission’s usefulness. After a hiatus, the project was revitalized under the NEOWISE banner to focus specifically on identifying and tracking near-Earth objects, while still contributing to broader infrared sky surveys. Over the years, NEOWISE has cataloged hundreds of comets and asteroids, highlighting the ongoing value of infrared astronomy for planetary science and cosmic discovery.
Since NEOWISE’s return to active science in 2013, the mission has led to the discovery and designation of numerous celestial bodies. Its infrared capabilities have illuminated not just a census of small bodies, but also insights into their sizes, compositions, and orbits. This data has informed follow-up observations by ground-based telescopes and other space missions, helping scientists refine models of solar system evolution and the distribution of near-Earth objects. The project has stood as a testament to the longevity and adaptability of space assets, proving that thoughtful repurposing can yield a rich scientific dividend long after an initial mission window closes.
However, the operation of an aging spacecraft faces real physics. Solar activity, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections, can heat and expand Earth’s upper atmosphere. When the atmosphere swells, even a carefully planned orbit can experience drag that gradually lowers the spacecraft’s altitude. As experts monitor solar cycles and atmospheric dynamics, the NEOWISE team continues to model how space weather interacts with satellite orbits. The latest projections indicate that, absent a major change in mission operations or orbital adjustments, NEOWISE will ultimately re-enter and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere within the mid-2020s, with a best-available forecast suggesting a completion of the burn-up window around 2025. This timeline reflects the inevitable fate of many aging observational platforms and underscores the importance of planning successor missions that advance infrared astronomy and planetary defense.
Another thread in NEOWISE’s narrative points to the broader family of small, compact probes that preceded and followed it. Earlier, a miniature mission dubbed CUTE contributed valuable, early measurements of exoplanetary atmospheres, underscoring a steady, interconnected progression in the exploration of worlds beyond Earth. The collective knowledge from these missions has helped shape how scientists approach remote sensing in the infrared, how they interpret spectral signatures, and how they design instruments with longevity in mind. The NEOWISE saga demonstrates the value of persistence, iterative mission design, and the enduring human drive to understand our cosmic neighborhood.